User Growth for ChatGPT Experiences Slowdown, Sensor Tower Report Shows
According to a recent analysis by market intelligence firm Sensor Tower, the growth trajectory for ChatGPT is starting to decelerate, signaling potential challenges ahead for the OpenAI-developed AI chatbot. Despite maintaining its position as the dominant player in the market, capturing 50% of global mobile downloads and 55% of monthly active users globally, ChatGPT is now facing intensified competition from Google’s Gemini, which has outpaced it in various growth metrics including downloads and user engagement.
The report indicates that while ChatGPT’s global monthly active users surged by 180% year-over-year as of November 2025, it experienced only a modest growth of about 6% between August and November, bringing the total to approximately 810 million users. This stagnation could point to market saturation, as noted by Sensor Tower. In contrast, Gemini’s user base expanded by 30% within the same timeframe, buoyed by the successful launch of its image generation model, Nano Banana.
Key Insights from the Sensor Tower Report:
– ChatGPT’s global downloads increased by 85% year-over-year, trailing the overall market growth rate of 110%.
– Gemini’s monthly active users rose by 30%, with notable engagement among U.S. Android users, who are now accessing Gemini directly through the operating system at nearly double the rate of those using the standalone app.
– Gemini has captured an increased market share among top AI chatbots, gaining 3 percentage points over the past seven months, while ChatGPT has seen a decrease of 3 percentage points in the same period.
– Perplexity and Claude, two rising competitors, reported substantial growth, with increases of 370% and 190% year-over-year, respectively.
Despite ChatGPT’s continued user base growth, its engagement metrics reveal a concerning trend: users are spending less time on the app, with a reported 10% decrease in daily usage hours compared to July. Meanwhile, Gemini users are now averaging 11 minutes daily in the app, a remarkable 120% increase since March.
OpenAI’s leadership appears to be actively addressing these challenges. A recent internal memo from CEO Sam Altman urged the team to focus on enhancing various features of their products, including personalization and reliability, to counteract the emerging competition. As the AI chatbot landscape evolves, both companies are poised for ongoing competition, with user preferences and innovative features likely to dictate future market dynamics.
